I believe that living on campus is a valuable life experience. My staff and I strive to create a positive experience each and every day. This takes many forms, from providing resources so the Resident Advisor staff can plan successful events in the halls, to having educational conversations with students about behaviors or conflicts they are having, to getting a broken heater fixed quickly. My staff partners with Campus Police and Facilities Management to provide halls that are safe, attractive, and well-maintained.
I want your student to continue growing from the life experiences they will get by living on campus. As we begin the month of February, my hope is that you will encourage your student to consider living on campus next year. We have been working hard to create a Housing Selection process that is fair and simple for students. In order to participate, your student must sign up online by February 7, and the best part is there is no cost to sign up. Students are only charged if they select on campus housing at selection night on February 21. I have heard many of the myths that oftentimes drive the decision to move off campus, and I want to prepare you with some facts:
“There is not enough space on campus.”
- We are opening a brand new hall called 10 Faraday that will feature 258 beds. We know based on previous years that we will have plenty of housing for all students that would like to live on campus.
“I don’t want to live in Founders. That is all that is left and I will have to be on a meal plan”
- Founders Hall will be updated this summer to include kitchenettes in each suite and tech suites on each floor. This is the only building where residents will enjoy no price increase, and a brand new meal plan is currently in development. Founders also features some of the largest rooms on campus. Being on a meal plan means that your student is guaranteed to have an avenue to obtain food on a regular basis, and being on the Founders meal plan comes with some serious perks including dinners at the Goat’s Head Restaurant.
“It costs too much to live on campus”
- At first glance, living off-campus often seems like a good option. All the costs have to be considered—like rent, deposits, water, electric, cable, internet, phone service, furniture, food, etc. This does not take into account the time involved in driving, gas, purchasing food, etc. Is it really worth all the hassle and disconnection just to save a few dollars?
“My friends are getting an off-campus apartment and I want to live with them”
- We hear this a lot. It’s a culture at WPI, one that we are trying our best to change. We see many student go to off campus apartments, and sometimes they go in groups larger than the Worcester City limit of 3 will allow. Worcester has been cracking down and if the city inspects an apartment and there are more than 3 people living the others will be asked to leave, lease or no lease.
In Residential Services we care about what we do, and we care about your son or daughter. I hope that they are successful and I believe that living on campus provides your student the best set of resources to support them. I hope that your student has or will sign up for Housing Selection. They can do it by going on bannerweb between now and February 7th.
I will ensure that my staff will be here to support your student. Help us ensure your student will be here as well. As we have said to your students – Live with us – Gompei does!
Emily Balcom
Assistant Dean and Director of Residential Services
The Solatrium, Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) entry in the Solar Decathlon China 2013 competition, was unveiled before an audience of more than 170, including city officials and area legislators, as well as representatives of several corporate sponsors. WPI is part of an international, multi-university team with members from Ghent University in Belgium and New York University Polytechnic Institute. WPI is the lead institution and the house was constructed near the WPI campus by faculty, students, and volunteers.
February 3rd, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Our son is currently a sophomore at WPI and is living off-campus in WPI leased property. He would have liked to stay on campus, but the lottery system would have made it likely that he have to have a WPI meal plan. He tells us that the food is not good (his friends agree), and this was the biggest reason that he dicided to go off campus for housing. I am a high school teacher and some of my students have also attended WPI, and I heard similar grumblings from them.
My wife and I were fortunate to attend a state university (UNH) that had (thirty years ago) quite good university-provided food. Now they have widely recognized, incredible food provided by a very proud university employees.
While it may seem a cost-saving measure to hire outside vendors, it must be realized that their bottom line is most importasnt to them, and if they keep being rehired, it will not improve and more students (except for those few who live in on-campus housing with kitchen facilities) may continue to choose to move off campus (in part)for the above reason.
February 4th, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your thoughts on my email communication to parents regarding living on campus. I appreciate your feedback regarding our campus meal plan requirements and the quality of food service, as I supervise both areas for our campus.
We have heard students concerns about being required to be on a campus meal plan beyond their freshmen year. We are aware that this applies to only Founders Hall, and while we cannot remove that requirement for that building, we are taking some steps regarding this for next year. We will be installing kitchenettes in each suite, with a 10.0 cubic foot refrigerator, a microwave, and some storage and counter space to allow students to prepare some simple meals in their rooms. We are adjusting the mix of offerings in Outtakes in the lobby of Founders Hall to support this amenity. We have also created a new meal plan only for Founders residents, called the Founders 160, which offers many amenities the current residents suggested, from a reduced number of meals per semester, to the ability to use these meals in all locations on campus, to a different balance of Bonus Points, and with multi-swipe access for all meals. While there will still be residents who do not wish to be on a meal plan, the student feedback regarding this solution thus far has been largely positive.
Regarding your son’s comments about the quality at Morgan Commons, I would encourage him to give them another try. If you would like to both join me the next time you are here to visit, please contact me. Our campus food service provider, Chartwells, opened a nationally recognized renovated dining facility in August of 2012, and the quality and variety of their offerings has received positive feedback from many students. I have also found our executive chef and our food service director to be remarkably receptive and responsive to student feedback, so it is a shame that their experience was so lacking.
While we cannot change your son’s experience, please know we are continuing to work to improve for future residents, and we do appreciate any and all feedback that can move us forward.